


Cuddle Piles

by SpangleBangle



Series: Thominho Week 2015 [7]
Category: The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Cohabiting, Day 7 - Kidfic/Parents, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Found Family, Group Family, Kids are gross but adorable, Multi, Poly Family, Polyamory, Short & Sweet, Thominho Week, Thominho Week 2015, doctor Thomas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-28 01:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5072446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpangleBangle/pseuds/SpangleBangle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My last fill for Thominho Week 2015, Day 7 (Kidfic/Parents), where Minho is part of a polyamorous family group raising kids together in one big happy family. Unfortunately, kids get sick a lot and somebody has to take them to the doctor's office. At least the pediatrician is hot, right? Another fill I desperately want to expand on :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cuddle Piles

_This is what you get for agreeing to donate sperm to your friends_ , Minho reminded himself as he searched for a clean tissue instead of the mounds of gross snotty ones compacted in his pockets. _Doctor’s visits. Ew._

He wiped Alyssa’s streaming nose as best he could and rubbed over Rosie’s back as she coughed miserably, a wet and congested noise that made him cringe inside every time she breathed. He loved the little girls, though, even if it meant he got the short straw today for a double visit to the paediatrician’s office.

“Alyssa and Rose Tubman?” The receptionist called over the coughs and sniffles of the waiting room.

Minho stood and smiled tiredly at her. “Yes?”

“Ah. Their usual paediatrician is unable to work today, I’m afraid. We have an on-call paediatrician if you think it’s urgent?”

Minho looked down at his little girls, sitting together on a seat, both fever-flushed and miserable. He, Harriet, Sonya and Alby had all been up in the night when they woke, hardly able to breathe or sleep. He was no doctor, but he was pretty sure neither had a standard winter cold, and he couldn’t bear to hear them crying from the pain of a cough or a red-raw nose. He gently rested a hand on Rosie’s head as she coughed weakly.

“We’ll see the on-call,” he replied firmly.

“Alright, room eight.”

“C’mon, girls,” He smiled down at them, then picked them up one on each hip and brought them through. He nudged the door open with his elbow and edged inside. “Hi,” he said distractedly, playing with the door and trying to get to the seats without dropping either of the girls. “Alyssa and Rose Tubman for you.”

“Hi there,” the young doctor inside said, smiling as he got up to close the door properly. Minho had a vague impression of a tall man with dark hair and a bright smile until he sat down and got a good look at him. And when Minho did, he was very much aware that he was in need of a shower, wearing rumpled and snot-stained clothes and probably looked in need of a sleeping pill or three. This doctor looked about Minho’s age, maybe a bit younger. Probably fresh out of rounds and new to practice. He still had a hopeful, open look on his face that Minho had noticed tended to be worn off by years of medical bureaucracy. His hair was even neatly combed to the side, a few strands flopping over his eyes in a way that was kind of sweet. There were pens in his pocket and his shirt looked fresh-ironed. And his smile was wide and friendly and carefree. His name badge read Dr Thomas Murphy.

_Wow. Okay, Minho. Do not stare at your kids’ paediatrician. Bad Minho._

“Uh, hi,” Minho said again, the master of smooth words. “Alyssa’s been snuffly for about two weeks now, at first we thought it was just a cold and gave her stuff from the drug store, y’know? But it’s lingering and she can’t breathe through her nose at night, she hasn’t been sleepin’ well. And Rosie’s had this cough for about a week now – again, we tried cough syrups, but she’s been coughin’ up all this green gunk and wheezing and we’re gettin’ really worried it might be a chest infection. Could you take a look?”

“Certainly,” the young doctor said. “Let’s start with the cough – Rosie, was it?” He smiled gently down at the little girl, who clung shyly to Minho’s shirt. He got an ear thermometer and stethoscope from his desk and turned that smile on Minho, who felt as if he were breaking out in zits by the second. “How old are they, your girls?”

“Uh. Nearly three. Twins, y’know.”

“How lucky,” Doctor Murphy smiled, then knelt down by Minho’s chair. “Could you hold her still for a moment, please? These generally don’t feel so good in little ears.”

“Sure.” Minho carefully gathered Rose up into his lap, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “Hold still, pumpkin. The nice doctor’s gonna take your temperature.”

She grizzled anxiously as the doctor leaned in close with the thermometer. “Appa,” she whined, squirming and turning her face into his chest.

“Aw, didn’t realise my face was so scary,” the doctor smiled.

“She gets fussy when she’s sick,” Minho replied, smiling back at him. “C’mon pumpkin, it’ll only be for a second.” He picked her up and kissed her forehead, then tickled her tummy until she giggled and forgot to be scared. While she was distracted, Minho glanced at the doctor, who moved smoothly to place the thermometer in her ear while Minho held her head. “That’s it Rosie, just for a moment.” He tickled her again until she settled.

The doctor removed it and looked at the readout critically. “Well her temperature’s definitely up. I’ll just listen to her breathing.” He warmed up the stethoscope pad in his hands and Minho kissed her head again, jogging her gently on his lap. Alyssa seemed happy to sit by herself, watching with her usual wide-eyed curiosity. Minho smiled to see a return of her normal attitude.

“Deep breaths now Rosie,” Minho said as the doctor rested the pad at various points over her back, and took some exaggerated breaths himself with her. She smiled up at him, though she still seemed a bit anxious about the stranger with metal implements.

“Hmm,” Doctor Murphy said as he put the stethoscope on his desk. “Definitely seems like a chest infection to me. Green mucus, you said?”

“Yeah, for the past few days.”

“Mmhmm. I’ll write her a prescription for some antibiotics to clear the infection.” He frowned, suddenly looking stern. “And you have to keep giving her the doses until the course is finished, even if you think she’s better. If she doesn’t do the whole course, the infection could come back stronger than ever.”

Minho nodded, a little taken aback by the serious change to the man’s previously affable and almost cuddly image. “I’ll make sure of it, Doctor.”

“Good,” the doctor smiled, all sunny and happy again. He crossed to his desktop write a few quick notes and rattled off a prescription paper, which Minho tucked carefully into his pocket. He turned to Alyssa, took her temperature, listened to her breathing and lightly chucked her chin when she sat still for him. That made her burst into giggles that turned into gooey nose explosions hastily mopped up by Minho.

“Oh dear,” Murphy smiled, handing Minho his own box of tissues. “It doesn’t seem serious to me, she should be able to clear it on her own. I can recommend some menthol chest rub, should help her breathe at night. Rub some in before bed, or in a bath as on the instructions. Keep an eye on it, and bring her back if she doesn’t seem to be improving in the next week.”

“Thanks a lot,” Minho smiled, gathering his girls up and kissing both their heads as they snuggled into him.

“They’re sweet girls,” Doctor Murphy smiled back. “You and your wife must be very proud.”

“Oh, er. Well. I’m their father, but me and their mom aren’t married,” Minho said awkwardly, rambling before his brain caught up. “I donated sperm to their mom and her partner, and we all kind of raise the kids together, with a few other friends.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” The doctor said, looking surprised and embarrassed at his presumption. “…Like an open marriage? Sorry, that’s unprofessional of me.”

Minho felt a grin growing. “More like a group family, but something like that. There’s seven of us, not including these two, and another kid, a little boy. He’s just starting school, actually. Right little scamp. Anyway. Thanks for all your help, Doctor Murphy.”

Three visits for prescription refills and more consultations over the cough and cold later, and Minho had the doctor’s number scribbled on the back of a prescription note. He was privately amazed seeing as he always ended up somehow looking like sleep-deprived shit at the doctor’s office, but he was taking that as a victory of his overwhelming charm.

“Yeah right,” Alby snorted when he confided the good news that evening, and mussed up Minho’s hair from where he lay sprawled across Alby, Newt and Sonya in what they affectionately called the ‘sofa pit’ – a sunken lounge area completely padded with cushions big enough for all ten of them to cuddle up together and watch films. “More like you bugged him until he gave you that number.”

“Did not, he volunteered it all on his own. Very sweetly too,” Minho grinned.

“Well I’m happy for you,” Newt announced, threading his fingers with Minho’s. “And you’d better tell us all about the date you’re definitely goin’ on.”

“D’you want to bring him into the group?” Sonya asked, looking vaguely concerned.

Minho smiled and gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “Only if it gets serious, and he wants that. I love our family, I don’t wanna destabilise that. If you guys and Harriet are okay with me dating him, I’ll go on the date.”

“Of course,” Alby and Newt said together, sharing a grin.

“And you know Harriet’s fine with that,” Sonya assured him, squeezing his arm. “Have fun on your date. Bring him home to meet the family if it gets serious.”

“Dinner’s ready,” Rachel called from the kitchen, where she, Harriet, Aris and their little boy Dwayne had been making a huge pot of stew with fresh vegetables and mounds of potatoes. Alyssa and Rose were already in their chairs, and the lot of them piled in around the wide, circular table. Newt sat with the twins and Harriet sat by Dwayne, and the others shuffled around. Minho ended up between Harriet and Alby, with Aris, Sonya and Rachel on the other side. Dinner was noisy and fun as always, the adults trying to talk over each other’s heads and feed the kids at the same time. Afterwards, Minho, Newt and Sonya took over the washing up while Harriet, Aris and Alby put the kids to bath and bed.

-x-

“I really enjoyed tonight,” Doctor Thomas Murphy smiled as they walked together after their date. “Honestly, I don’t get much chance to get out in the evenings, what with work, and studying, and all that. This was so much fun.”

Minho beamed and scuffed his feet on the sidewalk, happiness bubbling up in his chest. “I had a great time too, Thomas. I really hope we can do it again, soon.”

Thomas smiled and leaned up to kiss him slowly, pulling on his lip and pressing hands down over his chest and stomach. “So,” he breathed when he pulled back. “Fifth date, just now. And this is my apartment. Want to come in?” His eyes glittered excitedly in the darkness and Minho grinned back.

“God, yes.”

-x-

“This is cosy,” Thomas muttered as the others settled in the sofa pit. Minho rested an arm around his shoulders and absently held Alby’s free hand while Rachel and Aris settled themselves on Thomas’ other side. Newt, Harriet and Sonya arranged themselves, and once they were settled the kids found places to snuggle too.

“If you’re not comfortable with this, just say so, and we can go somewhere with just us,” Minho replied quietly, watching his face nervously. He so wanted Thomas to feel welcome in his family, but if it wasn’t for him then it would still be okay, he told himself.

“It’s okay,” Thomas smiled, settling closer into the circle of Minho’s arm. “I like your family, I want to be part of it. Cuddle piles just might take a while to get used to, that’s all.”

Minho squeezed him tightly and kissed his temple. He was about to kiss him elsewhere too, but Dwayne clambered on top of them both and settled himself firmly on Minho’s lap. He looked up at Thomas with a serious expression, then slumped down until his back was supported by Thomas’ chest as well.

“Down in front, Dwayne,” Minho smiled and patted his fluffy hair. “We can’t see the movie.”

“You’re too busy making lovey-dovey eyes to watch it anyway, Appa,” Dwayne announced matter-of-factly.

Minho grinned sheepishly as his family erupted into laughter, shifting until they were settled cuddled up together in a mess of limbs and affection. And with Thomas by his side, excited and happy to be part of it all.


End file.
